Themanbun's Midfield Minute

[King Corey]

Player development has to come into question. Barlow was in charge of that. Now he's midfield coach.

Is he all he's been cracked up to be?

Good question though he's probably got a bit of time on his side.

To see CDT already able to manhandle a 6th year key back for us gave me many emotions. None good.

 

[Ichiro #51]

CDT is a serious talent. Incredibly clean for a guy that size. Can see why quite a few had him ranked 1 at the draft.

 

[Themanbun]

What concerns me more than "scrubs" is that WC young talent brushed aside our young and not so young talent.

Reid trumped all of our midfielders.

CDT overpowered a 25yo Comben.

Shanahan spanked our mature talls and looked better than any young NM KPP to date perhaps except for Trembath.

That's a lot of draft collateral we've spent for 5 years to see that outcome against a team of "scrubs".

As a side note I'm seriously impressed with how West Coast managed to get Reid, with all his big show talent, to play a selfless role and run blocks and screens as part of set plays.

We seemed to 'need' someone who is naturally already selfless (FOS) to do those things.

What does that say about our own guys' personalities? Would we prefer an extroverted tool who lifts up his teammates or less abrasive personalities who play selfishly? Because I know who I'd rather as a teammate. Not one of our mids wanted to make Yeo or Reid accountable. Not one. Even the selfless kid.

Some serious soul searching needs to be done. Not trying to be dramatic but it's make or break for this rebuild.

 

[Themanbun]

I had actually considered writing a section on this as part of the general theme of softness that permeated through our side and cost us the game on Sunday. But noted our forwards were our biggest offenders and homed in on the mids.

But Kingy's section on First Crack this evening was perfect. Missed tackles. And they appeared to be missed because our players refused to commit their bodies to it.

Big part of what cost us the game.

Highly recommend you folks give it a watch.

 

[chubbspeterson]

I had actually considered writing a section on this as part of the general theme of softness that permeated through our side and cost us the game on Sunday. But noted our forwards were our biggest offenders and homed in on the mids.

But Kingy's section on First Crack this evening was perfect. Missed tackles. And they appeared to be missed because our players refused to commit their bodies to it.

Big part of what cost us the game.

Highly recommend you folks give it a watch.

Teflon tacklers was very funny. But that's what I noticed as well. Not sticking the tackles.

 

[ferball]

Teflon tacklers was very funny. But that's what I noticed as well. Not sticking the tackles.

I swear I missed that. Was it last night's one or the weekend?

 

[Themanbun]

I swear I missed that. Was it last night's one or the weekend?

Last night's mate

 

[Merlin007]

I had actually considered writing a section on this as part of the general theme of softness that permeated through our side and cost us the game on Sunday. But noted our forwards were our biggest offenders and homed in on the mids.

But Kingy's section on First Crack this evening was perfect. Missed tackles. And they appeared to be missed because our players refused to commit their bodies to it.

Big part of what cost us the game.

Highly recommend you folks give it a watch.

A lot of emphasis in the modern game on structure, team defence etc etc but it's still a collision sport, and as you say, we didn't like the collision part too much.

Zurhaar falling down like he'd been shot, Baker putting a forearm through Larkey and a knee to the back of the head on the way through, Reid rag dolling FOS

The Larkey incident reminded me of Jordan Lewis on Goldstein all those years ago - Baker did it (like Lewis) knowing that it wasn't going to come back

Xerri (maybe Parker) is the only bloke on our list that the opposition wouldn't mess with - one's not enough.

I hope Xerri is using his spot on the leadership team to give his colleagues some feedback behind closed doors

 

[chubbspeterson]

I swear I missed that. Was it last night's one or the weekend?

Last night. The 30 min First Crack preview show.

 

[shintemaster]

A lot of emphasis in the modern game on structure, team defence etc etc but it's still a collision sport, and as you say, we didn't like the collision part too much.

Zurhaar falling down like he'd been shot, Baker putting a forearm through Larkey and a knee to the back of the head on the way through, Reid rag dolling FOS

The Larkey incident reminded me of Jordan Lewis on Goldstein all those years ago - Baker did it (like Lewis) knowing that it wasn't going to come back

Xerri (maybe Parker) is the only bloke on our list that the opposition wouldn't mess with - one's not enough.

I hope Xerri is using his spot on the leadership team to give his colleagues some feedback behind closed doors

Kind of agree with this. Once the umpires decided cheap shots were a ok we should have returned a few with interest. X as you say does it either way and delivered with aplomb on that front last week. Just needed a mate or two.

FWIW I've got no idea with Zurhaar going down - in reality it should have been a free kick. I have an issue with not taking the opportunities there to hurt them the other way when it was allowed on our guys.

 

[Themanbun]

Just waiting for some stats to come out before I focus on a replay.

 

[Themanbun]

!!!Education!!!

Ahead of this week's review, I thought it would be timely to just provide a bit of education about centre bounce setups. There are roles, there are standard plays. There are also plays that break those roles and require more dynamic midfield craft. We're still, unfortunately, a bit stuck at perfecting the former. There are also situation setups I can see we've been trying.

IMO the most important role is the sweeper. It's not fun, it defies instinct, but it is an important role to do well. It is primarily a defensive role, but it does play a role in offense. On defence, it prevents a clear exit out the FRONT of the stoppage for the opposition, which is the best quality clearance you can have. Played well, on offence, it allows us to get the second best quality clearance, which is a quarterback with time and space, acting as the release handball at the back.

The standard play

This is the standard set up, if we have a dominant North Melbourne right handed ruck. The sweeper sits behind the ruck. The front of stoppage blocker manning up the opposition sweeper. The hit-to from either team sitting right in the 'wedge' of the circle where our ruck is likely to hit to. Typically that person is LDU.


What happens when a sweeper gets sucked in?

If the sweeper follows his man into the contest, it leaves the front gate wide, wide open. Should our hit-to lose the battle, the opposition hit-to can stream straight out the front, as the front of stoppage blocker wrestles our sweeper out. You definitely don't want that to happen.



What happens when the sweeper doesn't get sucked in?

That partly depends on the opposition. Some non-exhaustive examples:

In the first scenario below, their hit-to runs straight into the sweeper, who pressures them and gets the chance to force a turnover, another stoppage, or a dump kick. All wins for us when we don't win first posses.

In the second scenario below, the hit-to gives to the front of stoppage player, who gives back to the hit-to and needs to try to lay a perfect block, but hopefully Tristan Xerri

38

Tristan Xerri

Age

27

Ht

202cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

5.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

D

5.5

1star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

2star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

D

5.5

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.5

3star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

2.5

5star

has taken care of that. With this unfolding the sweeper has time to assess and press. The hit-to will have to move somewhat laterally out of the stoppage. They may still get the clearance but it is pressured and not direct.

In the third scenario, the blocking of the exit turns it into a shit-fight in the middle. Lots of pressure and opportunities to turn the ball over. Presuming we lose still, they have to pull back to THEIR sweeper. Who hopefully has been sucked in...





But Themanbun, what happens if we win the footy and the sweeper holds out?

Then they are in the perfect position to quarterback the stoppage and have a nice, considered exit out the back. Not the perfect clearance, but a pretty good option most of the time.



Non-standard plays

Sweeper Release play:

In this scenario you might put in a dynamic mid and load him at the back of the stoppage. Your hit-to is actually a decoy. The plan is for the ruck to still hit to their preferred spot, but the sweeper breaks forward out of the stoppage, the hit-to holds out and then slides to the back of the stoppage to become the new sweeper, and the front blocker slides to shore up a triangle shape behind the clearance. This is a very, very aggressive play, which is why the front blocker usually slides defensively as well. They may also wrestle out the sweeper if the sweeper holds out.


Dynamic sweeper play

You would usually see this with two even right or left handed rucks (no dominant one, both have same tap hand) and two hit-to mids in the same setup (think LDU and Wardlaw in the same centre bounce). The ball could drop either side depending on who wins the ruck, so you need contested mid representation either side. In this setup, they both err defensively. Whoever ISN'T the recipient slides around to sweep the back of the stoppage.

So if LDU is the hit-to to the left of screen, Wardlaw slides down the setup towards Essendon's goals and across to the back of the stoppage.

This one leaves the front door wide open but usually the two mids in question demand attention and can't be left by themselves.



Conclusion

This is just touching on some craft stuff. Centre bounces are chaotic and crazy and and there are set plays and then lots of dynamic reactions that need to be taken into account. Sometimes a freak of a player ruins even the best of setups for the opposition. But there are roles that need to be respected if you want to play well, consistently, as a midfield, and ensure that when you don't win first possession, the clearance is a shit fight, and when you do win the clearance, you get clean possession (preferably out the front, but out the back if needed).

 

[Passmore]

Look at you go Themanbun . Diagrams!!!!

 

[Themanbun]

Look at you go Themanbun . Diagrams!!!!

Getting fancy

 

[Themanbun]

Round 2 vs WCE - soft and lazy
Sorry, but it is what it is. There was no super complex midfield setups. Very few bounces to dissect. Just too many of our players declining to put their bodies on the line and declining to run the way they needed to.

I initially drafted up a long stats post but it got deleted in a laptop meltdown. I'm not writing it again. The gist was that we won clearances, we won first possession. Our mids didn't tackle, they didn't pressure, and they didn't win ground ball, either in clearance or outside of it. Put simply, they were scared.

Then we got smashed on transition. They didn't run. Here are some of my choice efforts, though there were literally dozens I could have picked.

For as long as our mids refuse to run and work for their defenders, and refuse to put their bodies on the line, we'll always be an easy beat side.

The efforts chosen to highlight are the ones where the game turned in the second quarter. You should be able to count these instances on one hand in a game. Not on two hands in a quarter. Plenty I missed.

Effort 1 - Stand in the hole
This one reflects poorly on three here. FOS, Parker, and Daniel. A rundown of the play.

1. West Coast player makes it clear he's kicking to the hotspot.
2. No one is standing in the hole.
3. FOS is too busy directing Jy, who is stuck minding Zurhaar's man.
4. FOS and Daniel are the spares. One of them needs to stand in the hole.
5. Parker elects not to go up with his man.
6. It becomes obvious that the hole is empty and this bloke is gonna mark it.
7. FOS chooses to pull up and stay out of the contest.
8. Daniel chooses to stay front and centre.
9. Bloke marks it directly in front.

To top it off Pink is too busy accounting for his own man.

One of those two needs to do it. Likely FOS as he was the fat side winger. Poor.

View attachment 2559290
View attachment 2559291
View attachment 2559294

View attachment 2559295


Effort 2
Stoppage here. Harry and TP are directing it but don't have any idea what they're doing. They both correctly identify the tap zone. Then Harry and LDU decide to do nothing about it.

Harry ignores that the second gamer has actually already covered off the front of the stoppage and therefore his man. Harry is now a spare. He needs to recognise this.

Harley Reid does something unselfish and decides to block Colby, to let Colby's man make the play through the middle. LDU doesn't contest. Harry doesn't contest, too busy jostling with Blamires' man.

He streams out the front of the stoppage, hits an inside 50. Harry gives up on the chase. There's a **** up in WCE attacking 50 and, had he chased, he would've been there to help mop it up. Alas, he was not there to help mop it up.

View attachment 2559299
View attachment 2559300
View attachment 2559301
View attachment 2559302
View attachment 2559303
View attachment 2559304

Effort 3
It wouldn't be me if I didn't squeeze in a centre bounce. Harry sweeps, but just doesn't have the lateral movement. TP is way too easily pushed off the hit-to and then gives up on the chase. Reid lays a nice block on Harry. Another front of stoppage exit FFS.

View attachment 2559305
View attachment 2559306
View attachment 2559307

Effort 4
Unfortunately this is one of Jy's turnovers. Yes he was at fault. But what's even more shocking because it's unexpected - Harry pulls out of the contest. He does not straight line it. His opponent does. Then his chase is sub-par. You can actually see where he stops and lets this guy stream through with the mark.

You simply need to put your body on the line in this position.

View attachment 2559308
View attachment 2559310
View attachment 2559311
View attachment 2559312

Effort 5
Yeo shows both FOS and Jy what workrate is. Watch how many times this campaigner gets the footy or near to it in one passage with Jy and FOS trailing behind. He first outruns FOS to impact Jy at the contest, then just outworks the two of them. Xerri tracked him the whole way from afar - why can't those two endurance machines put in the work? FOS drops off screen such was the chase.


View attachment 2559318

View attachment 2559320
View attachment 2559321
View attachment 2559322
View attachment 2559323
View attachment 2559325
View attachment 2559324

Conclusion
After last week's craft masterclass. We're back to soft, lazy footy.

That is all my friends. They bashed us and outran us. That's all. The worst team in the comp did that btw.

Kingy covered part of this in relation to Reid laying the block tonight - exact same play. The bit was on Reid's team first attitude.

 

[Themanbun]

Was hoping to get the essendon post up before today but it's been a hectic week.

 

[kool kangas]

Look at you go Themanbun . Diagrams!!!!

We will be getting animated stick figures next..

 

[Passmore]

Themanbun I know this is a NM based exercise, however was interested in your thoughts on Collingwood's midfield set up, with and without Daicos.

Everything seems to be geared to toward him. When he wasn't there, they looked decidedly ordinary.

 

[roos_tt29]

When's the next instalment?

Really enjoyed these!

 

[Themanbun]

When's the next instalment?

Really enjoyed these!

Have had a horrid three weeks mate sorry. When I can I will I promise!

 

[roos_tt29]

Have had a horrid three weeks mate sorry. When I can I will I promise!

All good!
Take your time - it's worth the wait

 

[perplexed]

!!!Education!!!

Ahead of this week's review, I thought it would be timely to just provide a bit of education about centre bounce setups. There are roles, there are standard plays. There are also plays that break those roles and require more dynamic midfield craft. We're still, unfortunately, a bit stuck at perfecting the former. There are also situation setups I can see we've been trying.

IMO the most important role is the sweeper. It's not fun, it defies instinct, but it is an important role to do well. It is primarily a defensive role, but it does play a role in offense. On defence, it prevents a clear exit out the FRONT of the stoppage for the opposition, which is the best quality clearance you can have. Played well, on offence, it allows us to get the second best quality clearance, which is a quarterback with time and space, acting as the release handball at the back.

The standard play

This is the standard set up, if we have a dominant North Melbourne right handed ruck. The sweeper sits behind the ruck. The front of stoppage blocker manning up the opposition sweeper. The hit-to from either team sitting right in the 'wedge' of the circle where our ruck is likely to hit to. Typically that person is LDU.
View attachment 2565857

What happens when a sweeper gets sucked in?

If the sweeper follows his man into the contest, it leaves the front gate wide, wide open. Should our hit-to lose the battle, the opposition hit-to can stream straight out the front, as the front of stoppage blocker wrestles our sweeper out. You definitely don't want that to happen.

View attachment 2565862

What happens when the sweeper doesn't get sucked in?

That partly depends on the opposition. Some non-exhaustive examples:

In the first scenario below, their hit-to runs straight into the sweeper, who pressures them and gets the chance to force a turnover, another stoppage, or a dump kick. All wins for us when we don't win first posses.

In the second scenario below, the hit-to gives to the front of stoppage player, who gives back to the hit-to and needs to try to lay a perfect block, but hopefully Tristan Xerri has taken care of that. With this unfolding the sweeper has time to assess and press. The hit-to will have to move somewhat laterally out of the stoppage. They may still get the clearance but it is pressured and not direct.

In the third scenario, the blocking of the exit turns it into a shit-fight in the middle. Lots of pressure and opportunities to turn the ball over. Presuming we lose still, they have to pull back to THEIR sweeper. Who hopefully has been sucked in...

View attachment 2565886
View attachment 2565887
View attachment 2565888

But Themanbun, what happens if we win the footy and the sweeper holds out?

Then they are in the perfect position to quarterback the stoppage and have a nice, considered exit out the back. Not the perfect clearance, but a pretty good option most of the time.

View attachment 2565893

Non-standard plays

Sweeper Release play:

In this scenario you might put in a dynamic mid and load him at the back of the stoppage. Your hit-to is actually a decoy. The plan is for the ruck to still hit to their preferred spot, but the sweeper breaks forward out of the stoppage, the hit-to holds out and then slides to the back of the stoppage to become the new sweeper, and the front blocker slides to shore up a triangle shape behind the clearance. This is a very, very aggressive play, which is why the front blocker usually slides defensively as well. They may also wrestle out the sweeper if the sweeper holds out.
View attachment 2565894

Dynamic sweeper play

You would usually see this with two even right or left handed rucks (no dominant one, both have same tap hand) and two hit-to mids in the same setup (think LDU and Wardlaw in the same centre bounce). The ball could drop either side depending on who wins the ruck, so you need contested mid representation either side. In this setup, they both err defensively. Whoever ISN'T the recipient slides around to sweep the back of the stoppage.

So if LDU is the hit-to to the left of screen, Wardlaw slides down the setup towards Essendon's goals and across to the back of the stoppage.

This one leaves the front door wide open but usually the two mids in question demand attention and can't be left by themselves.

View attachment 2565908

Conclusion

This is just touching on some craft stuff. Centre bounces are chaotic and crazy and and there are set plays and then lots of dynamic reactions that need to be taken into account. Sometimes a freak of a player ruins even the best of setups for the opposition. But there are roles that need to be respected if you want to play well, consistently, as a midfield, and ensure that when you don't win first possession, the clearance is a shit fight, and when you do win the clearance, you get clean possession (preferably out the front, but out the back if needed).

Not sure if you saw how we were setting up at centre bounces today, but we seemed to be trialing something new. We didn't play a blocker at the front of the stoppage at all and our sweeper seemed shallow. Any thoughts?